BTT: Unknown Favorites

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This week’s Booking Through Thursday question is interesting, and a bit hard — at least for me:

Who’s your favorite author that other people are NOT reading? The one you want to evangelize for, the one you would run popularity campaigns for? The author that, so far as you’re concerned, everyone should be reading–but that nobody seems to have heard of. You know, not JK Rowling, not Jane Austen, not Hemingway–everybody’s heard of them. The author that you think should be that famous and can’t understand why they’re not…

Okay this is just kind of hard. I feel like most of my favorite authors are known authors, but maybe it’s because I’ve been reading them for so long and I found some people who also love the books that I love to read, so it feels like a lot of people read it. Did that make sense?

But I think it would be awesome if more people read:

  • Frank Peretti – author of This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness to name a few, and one of the best Christian fiction that I’ve ever read. I’d like to think his books are not only for the Christian people, because it’s really awesome. :)
  • Camy Tang – I only discovered her about two years ago, and her chick lit books remain a favorite on my shelf. I always recommend her to friends who are looking for good, quality (and clean) chick lit, and she’s a really nice person, too. :)
  • Tosca Lee – I was blown away by her book, Demon, and even if I haven’t finished Havah, yet, I know from the first few pages of it that it’s also a beautiful book. I can’t wait for her third novel that comes out in 2011 — the story of Judas Iscariot. Don’t you think that’s just yummy?

I think that’s it. More people should read their books, really. It would make the world a better place (and maybe I’m not kidding there hahaha).

On another note, not really related to BTT. Earlier today we dropped by at Fully Booked during afternoon break just for kicks, and I got caught in a book splurge again. *headdesk* I was only intending to look for Carrie Ryan’s The Forest of Hands and Teeth to make sure it’s still there, waiting for me to buy it next Friday. (It’s not.) What I found instead, was Shelley Adina‘s final book in the It’s All About Us series, The Chic Shall Inherit the Earth. And there’s only one copy left.

Ugh. I hate it that I could have bought Carrie Ryan’s book last Friday, only I didn’t because I wasn’t in the mood to buy a hardcover book. I wanted to buy it last Sunday, but I didn’t because I was waiting for the sale in Eastwood. AND NOW…it’s gone. :(

Alas. Maybe the paperback is meant for me.

But I’m happy to find Shelley Adina’s book because that meant my collection is complete. My wallet isn’t so happy, though, and this means I may have to bring lunch to work for a week to compensate. :P But I can’t wait to see what happens to the protagonist and the antagonist, and if she and the guy from the first book will finally get together. I was planning to read it after Persuasion, but alas, it cannot wait. So sorry, Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth, you’d have to wait a bit. This won’t be long. :P

Posted in: Reading Quirks \ Tagged: , , , , , ,

Hello Percy and Artemis

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Today my family and I found ourselves at Bonifacio High Street to have lunch with my family. It’s my treat because I just got paid, but since we’re all following certain diets, we didn’t have to eat in an expensive place.

But that’s not the point. Going to Bonifacio High Street meant I could drop by the huge Fully Booked there and look for the books that I couldn’t find in Fully Booked in Eastwood. I swear, being in that branch of Fully Booked makes me giddy all over. I mean, five floors of books (including the basement) and other things? Heaven. Plus I’m sure to find the books I’ve been looking for there.

I was supposed to accompany my mom to the comfort room first before roaming around but I got distracted by the books at the Young Adult section on the second floor — and there I go. Sorry Mom.

Anyway, I went home with these two books:

Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl

Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl

Hello, young adult fantasy!

Ever since I saw the movie trailer of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief when I watched Avatar before Christmas, and after I’ve read Myk‘s review of the Percy Jackson series in his 2009 year-ender post about books, I was super curious about this book. Of course, as luck would have it, I could not find a copy of the first book anywhere near me. All I could see were copies of books 2-5, and book 5 is in hardcover, too. I was sort of glad that I finally found a copy of the first book in High Street. Sort of only, because I’m not too keen on movie covers. I want the old cover…but this would have to do for now. I could always find one next time…when I have extra budget. Or ask for a boxed set for my birthday.

Ooh, and I don’t know if there’s anything special about this, but there’s a free card inside the movie cover version of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I got Nico — whoever he is:

Nico

I don't know who you are Nico, but you'll be a bookmark for now.

I was planning to buy Books 1 and 2 of the series, but when I went down to the first floor, I saw a bunch of other YA books there and looked at them first. I found the Artemis Fowl series there, and while I have never read any of them, I know Paolo recommended it to me for my 2010 Fantasy Reading Goal. Of course, for every series, I just have to get the first book. Lo and behold, there was only one copy of the first book of the Artemis Fowl series there — I just had to pick it up. :)

I went home with not much damage on the wallet — any book that costs less than Php 300 for me is kind of cheap for me already, especially if I bought it in a bookstore. Plus I have a 5% discount for using my HSBC card, so it wasn’t that bad.

There was another book that I really wanted to buy earlier: The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (thanks to Adele again for her review on this). The title is kind of morbid, don’t you think? But come on: it’s young adult fantasy…with zombies! Who wouldn’t want that? ;) Anyway, I wanted to buy it, but the paperback version is not available here yet — strange because it’s already out in the US. I could buy the hardcover one, but if I would, I’d rather buy it in Eastwood after two weeks, at 20% off too. But…let’s see. I can wait…it’s not like I’m going to read it immediately anyway.

That reminds me: Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl would still have to wait because of Persuasion. Not that I mind — I am loving Persuasion now, probably even more than when I read Pride and Prejudice! :)

Posted in: General \ Tagged: , , , , ,

Book happy Friday

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Just a short post for today since I’m kind of feeling under the weather and I’m planning to continue reading Persuasion before I hit the sack later. Today is Friday, which meant…

SQUEE!

Shades of Grey ♥

Yes friends, that is Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde sitting on my book shelf, all covered in plastic and ready to read. :) Yes, it no longer haunts me, haha. Picked it up earlier today at Fully Booked in Eastwood, and it was on sale too! From Php 699 to Php 559.20! Still more expensive than the other books, but it’s one of my favorite authors, so it’s worth it. :)

Oh, and Fully Booked Eastwood is on sale until Sunday — 20% off on all regular titles. :) Looks like someone won’t be splurging on Mytouch 4g accessories yet.

And to those who are curious, the books above Shades of Grey are my to-be-read copies of Graceling by Kristin Cashore and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.

Okay, time to go back to Persuasion. The sooner I finish this Austen, the sooner I can get cracking with these books. Have a great weekend everyone!

Posted in: Squee! \ Tagged: , , , ,

What to do when a book haunts you

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I can’t remember how I found out about it exactly, but the other day I found out that Jasper Fforde’s new novel is out. After almost two years from his last novel, First Among Sequels, Jasper Fforde is finally back with a new novel, Shades of Grey.

Now, I’m pretty much of a blind follower whenever I say that I love this specific author, and even if the book isn’t that stellar, the book will still find its way to my bookshelf because, well, it’s my favorite author. Then again, how can you not be even the tiniest bit curious about this book after you’ve read this blurb?

Shades of Grey by Jasper FfordePart social satire, part romance, part revolutionary thriller, Shades of Grey tells of a battle against overwhelming odds. In a society where the ability to see the higher end of the color spectrum denotes a better social standing, Eddie Russet belongs to the low-level House of Red and can see his own color—but no other. The sky, the grass, and everything in between are all just shades of grey, and must be colorized by artificial means.

Eddie’s world wasn’t always like this. There’s evidence of a never-discussed disaster and now, many years later, technology is poor, news sporadic, the notion of change abhorrent, and nighttime is terrifying: no one can see in the dark. Everyone abides by a bizarre regime of rules and regulations, a system of merits and demerits, where punishment can result in permanent expulsion.

Eddie, who works for the Color Control Agency, might well have lived out his rose-tinted life without a hitch. But that changes when he becomes smitten with Jane, a Grey Nightseer from the dark, unlit side of the village. She shows Eddie that all is not well with the world he thinks is just and good. Together, they engage in dangerous revolutionary talk.

Stunningly imaginative, very funny, tightly plotted, and with sly satirical digs at our own society, this novel is for those who loved Thursday Next but want to be transported somewhere equally wild, only darker; a world where the black and white of moral standpoints have been reduced to shades of grey.

And would you look at that pretty cover?

Earlier today, I went to Fully Booked in Eastwood to see if they have a copy. The thing with Jasper Fforde’s books (and other books for that matter) is they bring out the hardbound version first and release the paperback a year later. I’m not much of a fan of hardbound books (more to that on another post), so I was ready to wait for the paperback version for this even if it meant reading it a year later.

But, surprise surprise, Fully Booked Eastwood has the paperback copy of the UK edition (pictured above). It costs Php699.00.

Now there goes my dilemma. I have a dangerously low EQ on books, especially on books from my favorite author. Case in point, a few days before Christmas, I was bored, so I went to Fully Booked and found a copy of Fire by Kristin Cashore. It was the trade paperback edition, meaning it’s a bigger copy and it couldn’t fit the normal bag I bring around. But I wanted to get the book so I ended up buying it. I was planning to buy the copy of her other book, Graceling from the same publisher so it would look prettier on my shelf, but when I saw the last copy of the book in National Bookstore in Galleria, I swiped it and now I have that copy.

See? Terribly low EQ on books.

But I digress. My dilemma was this: I wanted the book, but payday isn’t until Friday. Plus, Eastwood is going to be on sale starting Friday so I’m betting there will be a 20% discount from the book, bringing the price down to Php 550+.

But I really, really want the book. :( And Friday is so far away. :(

I was thisclose to buying it earlier (and influenced my teammate to want the book too) because I was afraid that someone else would buy the book before we do. But my wallet was screaming at me for even thinking about buying a book now that money is short, and I can’t just ignore its screams you know?

But the book was really haunting me! :(

So my teammate and I decided to ask if we can reserve the book there and get it on Friday. We talked to the Fully Booked people and normally, they only reserve for three days, but since we’re sure to get the book on Friday, they decided to hold it for us until Friday.

OMG YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Book haunting has stopped! It’s almost as good as owning the book! And my wallet is happy! :)

And I totally, totally love Fully Booked (even more than the most effective diet pills) now. ♥

Now if only I can find a copy of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief…

This is a whole new reason to look forward to this Friday, yes?

Posted in: Squee! \ Tagged: , , ,

Green (Ted Dekker)

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Green by Ted Dekker

Green by Ted Dekker
The Circle # 0
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Number of pages:  392
My copy: hardbound, review copy from BookSneeze

AS FORETOLD BY ANCIENT PROPHETS, an apocalypse destroyed Earth during the twenty-first century. But two thousand years later Elyon set upon the earth a new Adam. This time, however, He gave humanity an advantage. What was once unseen became seen. It was good and it was called…Green.

But the evil Teeleh bided his time in a Black Forest.

Then, when least expected, a twenty-four year old named Thomas Hunter fell asleep in our world and woke up in that future Black Forest. A gateway was opened for Teeleh to ravage the land. Devastated by the ruin, Thomas Hunter and his Circle swore to fight the dark scourge until their dying breath.

But now The Circle has lost hope. Samuel, Thomas Hunter’s cherished son, has turned his back on his father. He gathers the dark forces to wage a final war. Thomas is crushed and desperately seeks a way back to our reality to find the one elusive hope that could save them all.

Enter an apocalyptic story like none you have read. A story with links to our own history so shocking that you will forget you are in another world at all. Welcome to GREEN. Book Zero.

FOUR NOVELS. TWO WORLDS. ONE STORY.

The last time I read the Black, Red and White by Ted Dekker was almost three years ago, and it’s been a while since I picked them up. I was planning to reread it, but because of time and all the other things life threw my way, I couldn’t get to read it. When I heard about the release of Green, I was excited because it’s Ted Dekker, and I loved the Circle Trilogy.

When I got my copy of Green, I was excited to read it but hesitant to read it because I can hardly remember what happened to the three books. But then the book cover said that it can act as the last book or the first book, I plunged in and read.

And what a ride it was, because Green is just as awesome as the other three books. Even if my knowledge of the trilogy was rusty, the book reminded me enough of what happened in the three books. I liked how it sealed the trilogy into a complete circle. The story was solid, almost very believable. There was a time when I felt like I couldn’t read anymore because I did not want to see what will happen next. There was a time when I wanted to strangle some of the characters and tell them that they should not stop believing in Elyon, and what they were doing is silly and pointless and would make them die. Books that make readers react this way mean they actually reached their audience. :D

Reading Green makes me want to re-read the other three books again, to fully relive the story of Thomas Hunter and his romance with Elyon. Great work, Ted Dekker. :D

Rating: [rating=4]

Note: Review originally posted at Refine Me

Posted in: Reviews \ Tagged: , , , , ,